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Encyclopedia / African Cichlids / Similis shell dweller
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Variations

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Similis shell dweller

Neolamprologus similis · Similis, Similis cichlid, Lamprologus similis

Colony dwellers that defend a shell territory; keep several shells per fish.

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5 cmAdult size ✓
24–27 °CTemperature ✓
8–9pH ✓
60 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • Tinfoil barb eats animals up to about 5 cm. Similis shell dweller only grows to 5 cm.
  • Rift lake cichlids like similis shell dweller need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Not recommended
  • White cloud mountain minnow needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Similis shell dweller is tropical.
  • Rift lake cichlids like similis shell dweller need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. Similis shell dweller only grows to 5 cm.
  • Rift lake cichlids like similis shell dweller need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
With conditions
  • Rift lake cichlids like similis shell dweller need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
With conditions
  • Rift lake cichlids like similis shell dweller need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
  • Their pH needs don't quite meet (8–9 vs 4.5–7). Aim between the two and keep it steady.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

56 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓8–25 dGH
Group size ?6 or more
Temperament ✓Semi-aggressive
Swims at ?Bottom
Care level ?Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 2.5–4 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Colony dwellers that defend a shell territory; keep several shells per fish.

  • cave
  • sand

Food

Frozen brine shrimp, cyclops, daphnia and small flakes.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Hard to sex when young; adult males are considerably larger than females and may develop a small forehead hump.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Shell-dwelling cave spawner · Moderate

Shell spawner: the female spawns inside her shell, which the pair defends.

Pairing

Keep a group with several shells per fish; pairs form and defend a shell territory.

Setup

60-100 L tank with a sand floor, many empty snail shells (Helix or Turbo type) and hard alkaline water (pH 7.8-8.8).

What starts it

Good conditioning, regular water changes, and a pair that claims a shell; the female spawns inside it.

Eggs

Eggs hatch in around 24 hours and fry are free-swimming at about 6-7 days. No egg count found in a source.

Raising the fry

Fry stay in or near the shell for the first week. Feed newly hatched brine shrimp, microworms and powdered flake; older fry may be removed to avoid being eaten.

Common mistakes
  • Too few shells so fish fight
  • Using soft or acidic water
  • Keeping with large fish that raid shells
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionLake Tanganyika – western shore
Rivers and lakesLake Tanganyika (DR Congo coast)
HabitatSnail-shell beds on sand
Native rangeAbout 80 km across
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The story of the similis shell dweller

A small Lake Tanganyika shell dweller with light stripes and extra barring on the head and neck; it is almost always found in colonies on large shell beds, and males are much larger than females.

Swiss aquarist and diver Heinz Büscher described this shell-dweller in 1992. It looks very like N. multifasciatus but its stripes continue onto the head. It lives in colonies among empty snail shells.

First described by Heinz H. Büscher in 1992. Named for Similis means 'similar', referring to its likeness to N. multifasciatus.

  • Its bars extend onto the head, separating it from N. multifasciatus.
  • It reaches only about 5 cm.
  • Several fish may share a shell-bed colony.

Sources

15 facts checked with sources